A detailed, dense science fiction game with excellent scope in such a short book, with a mostly workable game system but presented in a soulless, uninspiring manner.
Re: [RPG]: Sci-Fi Week: Universe (2nd edition), reviewed by Lev Lafayette (2/4)
I suspect the plethora of subsystems, some of them a bit painful to work with didn't help; certainly the Delta-V space combat system was way too fiddly for an RPG (and this is from someone who likes moderately fiddly combat systems, but the one in Alternity was probably at the upper end of tolerance, the one in Universe was worse).
__________________
Afraid to fly, don't know why.
From mUrielw:
"Of course, if one had played more RPGs, one would have realized that shacking up with people whose goal is "fulfill the ancient prophecies so that my dead god might rule once more over the earth, and cull those not among our cult" is rarely a good idea."
Re: [RPG]: Sci-Fi Week: Universe (2nd edition), reviewed by Lev Lafayette (2/4)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Visitor
I suspect the plethora of subsystems, some of them a bit painful to work with didn't help; certainly the Delta-V space combat system was way too fiddly for an RPG (and this is from someone who likes moderately fiddly combat systems, but the one in Alternity was probably at the upper end of tolerance, the one in Universe was worse).
One of these days I'll get around to reviewing Alternity...
The thing that really frustrated me about Universe is that they gave a couple of pages of charts of Delta Vee, but with out any information on how to do ship-ship combat. That was just plain evil imo..
__________________
+1 Pithy from riprock +1 Laugh Point from rpg_dad My Livejournal
Currently playing: RuneQuest 3e Classic Prax, GURPS Krononauts, Rolemaster Cyradon, Lords of Creation Horn of Roland, Pathfinder Fantasy Australia, Powers & Perils Perilous Lands, HeroQuest Mystara, HeroQuest Glorantha, New World of Darkness BrisVegas, Dragon Warriors Clyster
Free, quarterly, RPG magazine: RPG Review. Fifth issue out now! Dan 'Smif' Smith Interview & Art, New World of Darkness Review and Scenario, GURPS Krononauts, GURPS Languages, Swordbearer and Heroes of Olympus Retrospective plus Odyssey Scenario, Travel and Transport in Paranoia, Reliance on NPCs, Via Negativia II, Fallout 3 Review, District 9 Review, Mingshi's Industry News, Lord Orcus's Advice Column
Re: [RPG]: Sci-Fi Week: Universe (2nd edition), reviewed by Lev Lafayette (2/4)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lev Lafayette
One of these days I'll get around to reviewing Alternity...
The thing that really frustrated me about Universe is that they gave a couple of pages of charts of Delta Vee, but with out any information on how to do ship-ship combat. That was just plain evil imo..
I don't think it matters much; I have the 1st Edition, and if they'd included the whole rules, it wouldn't have been used. The name tells you a bit too much; its a moment and inertia maintaining space combat system, and as such gets painful to use as soon as the number of combatants rise above one on each side, and is cumbersome even with that.
__________________
Afraid to fly, don't know why.
From mUrielw:
"Of course, if one had played more RPGs, one would have realized that shacking up with people whose goal is "fulfill the ancient prophecies so that my dead god might rule once more over the earth, and cull those not among our cult" is rarely a good idea."
Re: [RPG]: Sci-Fi Week: Universe (2nd edition), reviewed by Lev Lafayette (2/4)
Eep! A mistake in the ratings (hitherto unnoticed). Style, as if it is not already obvious from the description, should be '1', not '2'.
__________________
+1 Pithy from riprock +1 Laugh Point from rpg_dad My Livejournal
Currently playing: RuneQuest 3e Classic Prax, GURPS Krononauts, Rolemaster Cyradon, Lords of Creation Horn of Roland, Pathfinder Fantasy Australia, Powers & Perils Perilous Lands, HeroQuest Mystara, HeroQuest Glorantha, New World of Darkness BrisVegas, Dragon Warriors Clyster
Free, quarterly, RPG magazine: RPG Review. Fifth issue out now! Dan 'Smif' Smith Interview & Art, New World of Darkness Review and Scenario, GURPS Krononauts, GURPS Languages, Swordbearer and Heroes of Olympus Retrospective plus Odyssey Scenario, Travel and Transport in Paranoia, Reliance on NPCs, Via Negativia II, Fallout 3 Review, District 9 Review, Mingshi's Industry News, Lord Orcus's Advice Column
Linear Mode
